Byler Oneshots

He is not into me (Part 7)

Will:-

Max looked directly at me, her expression serious. "From Mike," she replied quietly.

I froze, stunned into silence by her unexpected answer.

My heart sank as Max revealed that she had retrieved my phone from Mike. Confusion and disbelief washed over me, mingling with a sense of betrayal and hurt.

Mike, who I had trusted and cared for deeply, had chosen to return my phone through Max instead of facing me himself.

It felt like a sharp jab to my already bruised emotions, leaving me at a loss for words. The realization that he couldn't even confront me directly stung deeply, leaving me questioning what had changed between us and why he was now avoiding me.

Max saw the turmoil on my face. "Will, it's not what you think," she said gently. "I felt he was more concerned about you."

"Did he say that?" I asked, my voice strained.

"No, but I felt it," she replied. "He looked like he's worried but not ready to talk to you yet. Maybe you should give him time."

Her words left me even more conflicted. If Mike was concerned, why was he avoiding me? The uncertainty gnawed at me, but a part of me wanted to believe Max's intuition.

******** ********

The bell rang, signaling the end of our break. Max and I gathered our things and headed to our next classes. Thankfully, this class didn't involve any group work, so I wouldn't have to be paired with Jason again. I focused intently on the teacher and the material, using my studies as a refuge from the swirling thoughts about Mike.

The day dragged on, each minute feeling like an hour. I kept my head down, taking notes and avoiding eye contact with anyone. It was the only way to get through the day without breaking down. By the time the final bell rang, signaling the end of school, I felt both exhausted and relieved.

I made my way to my locker, hoping to grab my things quickly and leave. Just as I was about to close my locker door, Jane and her friends appeared, their presence instantly setting my nerves on edge.

"Hey, Mask boy," Jane sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. Her friends snickered, crowding around me.

I kept my eyes down and didn't respond, focusing on packing my bag. Their taunts washed over me, but I refused to give them the satisfaction of a reaction.

"Where's the guitar boy?" Jane mocked. "Did he leave you after he got to know you?"

Her friends burst into laughter, and I could feel their eyes raking over me, judging and belittling.

"Look at him," one of her friends said, giggling. "Still trying to hide behind that mask. Pathetic."

I took a deep breath, reminding myself that their words couldn't hurt me if I didn't let them. I finished packing and shut my locker door, turning to leave.

"Run along, freak," Jane called out, her voice filled with venom. "No one wants you here anyway."

I walked away, head held high despite the burning sting of their laughter behind me. I just had to get through the day. One step at a time, I reminded myself.